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Boise State beats Colorado State 37-24

By WTOP Staff

JASON CHATRAW
Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — After an anemic offensive showing in its season opener, Boise State proved its offense is plenty potent Saturday night as the Broncos exploded for 676 yards in a 37-24 victory over Colorado State in the Mountain West Conference opener for both teams.

Jay Ajayi provided most of the spark for the Broncos, finishing with 219 yards rushing, 61 yards receiving and three touchdowns. The team’s 676 yards was the fifth most in school history.

Grant Hedrick was 22-of-33 passing for 352 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Boise State coach Bryan Harsin notched his first victory at Boise State to move to 1-1 and avoid the Broncos’ first 0-2 start since 2005.

Colorado State (1-1), which saw Dee Hart and Treyous Jarrells both gain over 100 yards each in its season-opening win over in-state rivals Colorado, gained 28 yards rushing on 23 carries.

Instead, the Rams were forced to rely on Garrett Grayson, who was 31-of-58 passing for 434 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Joe Hansley led the team in receiving with seven catches for 149 yards and a touchdown, while Rashard Higgins had 11 receptions for 143 yards.

Colorado State, which has dropped all four meetings with Boise State since the Broncos joined the Mountain West Conference in 2011, moved the ball effectively in the game’s opening possession before stalling at the Boise State 20 and settling for a 39-yard field goal by Jared Roberts.

That was the only lead the Rams would hold.

Hedrick responded with his first opening touchdown drive in his career, leading Boise State 75 yards in nine plays, which ended on an 8-yard touchdown run by Ajayi. Colorado State blocked the extra point, leaving the Broncos with a 6-3 lead.

On the Broncos’ next possession, Hedrick rushed for 30 yards on three carries in moving Boise State 70 yards on 12 plays. His 1-yard sneak capped the drive and gave the Broncos a 13-3 lead. Colorado State would never get any closer than that.

Trailing 37-10 in the fourth quarter, Colorado State attempted to get back in the game with a pair of late touchdowns and a goal line stand. Boise State sealed the victory, however, when Jeremy Ioane intercepted an errant Grayson pass with 1:28 remaining.

Matt Miller caught eight passes for 151 yards and a touchdown and overtook Austin Pettis for the most career receptions at Boise State.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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